Core Ideas Enrollment increased in most soil science courses from 2009 to 2013. Students from many different majors took soil science coursework. Total female enrollment increased, but the percentage of female students decreased. Soil judging participation remained consistent. Student to faculty ratio went up between 2009 and 2013. Data were collected from 10 universities in the United States on declared academic majors and gender of students enrolled in seven different soil science courses over a 5‐yr period. Combined trends for all courses and trends for each individual course were evaluated. Data were also collected on the number of students participating in soil judging as well as tenure track and non‐tenure track full time equivalent (FTE) soil science faculty positions. Environmental science, crop science/horticulture/agronomy, and other agricultural students enrolled in soil science courses in the greatest numbers. Environmental science and engineering students showed rapid increases in enrollment, while crop science/horticulture/agronomy and soil science student enrollment declined. Soil physics was the only class where declared soil science students were the single largest enrolled group. Soil judging numbers were consistent, while FTE faculty showed a slight decline. Students from many different academic majors took soil science courses at the universities investigated, and the most common majors in these courses depended on the course and the material it addressed. Overall student enrollment increased in all subject areas investigated except soil physics. While the results from this study are somewhat mixed, the overall growth in student enrollment in soil science courses at the investigated universities, as well as the broad range of majors enrolled in soil science coursework, indicate an upward trajectory in soil science education at these universities.

Several soil science education studies over the last 15 yr have focused on the number of students enrolled in soil science programs. However, no studies have quantitatively addressed the number of undergraduate soil science preparatory programs that exist in the United States, which means we do not have solid data concerning whether overall program numbers are declining, rising, or holding steady. This also means we do not have complete data on the same trends for total undergraduate soil science students in the United States. This study used the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Soil Science Series 0470 standards to determine if a bachelor's degree met soil science preparatory criteria. Lists of the approximately 3,500 regionally accredited colleges and universities were obtained from the regional accrediting agencies; the website of each of the colleges and universities was visited to determine if they had a degree program that met the OPM 0470 criteria. Ninety‐two soil science preparatory degree programs were identified at 86 colleges and universities. These programs were primarily linked to (a) agriculture, (b) environmental science, and (c) soil and water science, based on the number of degree occurrences. This study creates a baseline for future studies that can investigate trends in soil science programs. It also provides an insight into the institutions and degree programs that should be included in soil science education studies.

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Nearly 40% of California growers apply nutrients in conjunction with their irrigation water, a process referred to as fertigation. Growers may also apply various pesticides through these systems. Farmers adopt new irrigation and fertilizer techniques Changes could help growers maintain yields, protect water quality

From 1972 to 1995, gravity irrigation (flood, furrow and so on) has decreased by about 20% on an acreage basis, while sprinkler irrigation has increased by about 8% and microirrigation, including drip and microsprinklers, has increased by about 12%. These statewide estimates exclude rice acreage and are based on surveys commissioned by the California Department of Water Resources and the U S . Bureau of the Census. Irrigation districts, UCCE farm advisors and specialists, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the U S . Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) were other sources of information. Different irrigation methods have different implications for crop yield, water conservation and waterquality protection. With the advent of chemigation and fertigation, future surveys should collect information about both irrigation and associated agricultural chemical practices.